Follow Me Into the Dark
by rileypotter17
Summary: Hermione is starting her 5th year at Hogwarts, and is trying to leave behind a terrible summer that she wishes she could just forget. All she wants is the one boy she can't have. All Fred Weasley wants is someone that cares about him, but he thought his chances were blown that same summer at the Burrow. Can they comfort each other at the darkest time of their lives? For N.N.M.R
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is dedicated to the wonderful N.N.M.R who requested a Fred/Hermione ship! I am so excited to start this new story, so enjoy!**

"Hermione, in here…" Harry called out to his best friend as she nearly walked right past him and Ron in their train compartment on the Hogwarts Express. She was more distracted than usual, and blushed as she walked in and sat down with them. She smoothed her school robes out in an effort to avoid both of their gazes. She was sure she looked a wreck, having been up crying most of the night.

"Why didn't you write us back after you left the Burrow? We wanted to know how your visit with Krum went, are you two official?" Ron asked, there was a slight edge to his voice that wasn't friendly and Harry ribbed the red-head hard.

"I was just very busy. It was fine but we aren't anything more than friends," Hermione managed a glance at the boys sitting across from her. But she secretly hoped that they would never ever be friends again. Ron looked like he wanted to say something, having opened his mouth but Harry gave him a glance to 'shut up'. Harry was always more aware of Hermione's emotions like that.

As much as she cared for the two boys in the compartment, there was only one boy she wanted to talk to. And she hadn't caught sight of him yet. He was the only one she had written to after her very short-lived trip to see Viktor. And he was the only one that_ knew_.

And there was also one boy she didn't want to see. Not today anyway. The boy she had feelings for. Unfortunately, both of those boys happened to be twin brothers.

Luckily, the three of them were left in silence as the train departed from Platform 9 and ¾ and started towards the castle. Hermione made general small talk, but buried her nose in her Charms book after a while to keep from any serious questions being asked. She hated that she had to distance herself from Ron and Harry, but she needed emotional space from every one. The summer had been much too trying and she relieved it through nightmares every night. She didn't need more stress or drama complicating things.

It was their fifth year at Hogwarts, and the state of affairs in the wizarding world was nearly in shambles. The Ministry of Magic was by all intents and purposes corrupt, and when Hermione had stayed at the Burrow with Harry for a few weeks, his scar was perpetually burning. The Tri-Wizard Tournament from the previous year had set into motion horrible things for all of them – what with Voldemort more powerful than ever. Hermione thought that Krum could be a small escape from that; her first real possibility for love besides the puppy love she nursed for Ron for the years prior. But things had gone so terribly wrong. She shuddered to even think about it.

They were at the castle in no time, boarding their carriages with their trunks and heading up the hill towards their home away from home. She followed Ron and Harry listlessly into the Great Hall, glad they were too absorbed in their conversation to notice that she wasn't being her usual talkative self.

Dinner was awkward. Hermione literally got a chill up her spine when the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge, was introduced. She had a terrible feeling that life couldn't get any worse for her or any of them before Seamus nudged her quickly. She met his freckled face and he jerked his head towards the end of the table.

It was the first time that she had smiled in days. There they were, Fred and George Weasley, sitting opposite each other and beaming back at her. Fred was throwing little bits of pudding at her and she rolled her eyes back at him.

She couldn't deny that the crush she had developed on Fred at the Yule Ball had manifested itself into full on attraction this summer at the Burrow. She often thought of their sly flirtation across the dinner table or their stolen glances on long walks around the fields to mean something and they comforted her on her long sleepless nights. But she knew Fred was older and attractive; and he could have any girl he wanted. He was practically a younger version of Sirius Black—without the prison time—roaming the halls like a new-age Marauder with a new girl on his arm every week.

She knew she couldn't have him to herself even if she wanted to. But it didn't mean that she didn't completely enjoy when his flirtatious attitude fell on her.

Even though George was smiling at her, she could see the sadness in his eyes. It was a sadness she knew she had caused him; and she wanted to get him alone to talk more than anything in the world. Even though Harry and Ron would always be her best friends, this summer, George had become her brother in every sense of the word but blood. Each of them knew secrets about the other that no one else knew and she just wanted to hug him, and thank him.

**00000**

Later that evening, Hermione settled into her favorite chair in the Gryffindor common room and waited. She knew he would come when everyone else finally went to sleep. It didn't take long for Harry and Ron to leave her, being happy and full from the feast. And soon after the common room was nearly empty—and that was when George Weasley ambled down the stairs from the boys' dormitories in his red flannel pyjama pants and took the chair next to her.

She didn't sit; she nearly threw herself into his arms and held him tightly. There was so much emotion that passed through them in that thirty second hug than words could every convey. It would have taken them years to fully express it, but he pulled back and looked at her thoroughly, as I examining her for wounds after a battle. They both knew that the wounds were mostly mental this time.

"You stopped writing last week, is everything alright?" George asked. She still found it odd that since this summer she had seen the softer, quieter side of him that was always masked by the witty and quick talking joker/partner to his twin.

"I'm sorry, I just needed to be cut off from everyone. I just needed some down time. I slept nearly the whole week—my Mum was so worried," she half-laughed in explanation. He nodded his head.

"Oliver and I broke up," he said, and that sadness from dinner came back to his eyes. Now she knew why he had looked so miserable. He probably wanted to send her a letter, but she had placed herself missing in action. It all made sense and she touched his arm softly.

"He's a prat, you know. But there will be others," she tried to console him. She didn't know how it really worked though. This summer, after they had grown so close, George had admitted to Hermione that he was gay, and was seeing Oliver Wood when he could manage the time to. Not even Fred knew. He had said he realized it the spring of last year, but he felt so bizarre about it. When he had found that Oliver was gay too, he had felt a huge rush of relief that one of his friends and a guy that didn't act in the least bit like_ that_, could relate to him. They had started seeing each other secretly.

"You know damn well there won't be anyone else for a long time. And I'm going to have to get a girlfriend if I don't want it to seem suspicious, what with Fred cavorting around here like the biggest playboy Hogwarts has ever seen…"

Hermione's face fell, and the Weasley saw her sweet smile turn into a narrow, straight line.

"Don't be like that 'Mione, we all know Fred has a crush on you…it was obvious this summer…"

"But that's precisely it! That is now _last_ summer. Not now. I mean look at him…why would he ever want me. I'm damaged goods anyway," she murmured and he held her close again, his hands running through her slightly bushy brown hair.

"I wish you would tell him. I wish you would tell Harry and Ron too…" George whispered, "Or at least my Mum and Dad. They could have helped…"

"But I told you…" she looked up at him, "And I am scared for this year George. I'm scared for both of us. I'm scared I won't be able to handle any of this."

"You are pretty much the smartest witch I know," George smirked, that trade-mark smile filing up his face and making her grin along with him, "And if you can't handle it…then we're all fucked."

**A/N: Thanks for reading. First chapters are always kinda the worst for me to write. They are so much set-up and vague-ness…but we will get this thing going soon. Yay for a Fred/Hermione story! As always, please review!**


	2. A Terrible Day

**A/N: Wow! Already a great response to this story already! Thanks for reading guys!**

"_Viktor, it's way too soon. I'm scared. And I just want to get to know you, please…" the tears started forming in her eyes. She knew there was nothing she could do. She was alone with him in his parents' house. They had gone on vacation and she had thought she would be meeting his family. But he had lied. And all she wanted was a return ticked home. The moment she had arrived he wasn't romantic like he was at the Yule Ball. He hadn't made her laugh once, or told her she was pretty. _

"_I promise I will be gentle Hermioninny," he said with furrowed eyebrows. He had her pinned on his bed, kissing her neck sloppily. Suddenly the way he said her name wasn't so endearing. It was downright annoying. She struggled to push him off._

"_I don't want to…"_

"_But I love you," he stopped kissing her and looked at her. But nothing about his look conveyed that he loved her, "You don't love me?"_

_She felt awful, but she didn't. She felt cold lying there in his arms. She missed her parents, and her friends, and she wished more than anything she had stayed at the Burrow. She wanted someone else's arms around her—someone she knew would never do this to her._

"_Viktor please!" the tears were coming more freely but she tried to be strong. She felt so confused. She had fallen for him, but now she knew it was for all the wrong reasons. Then again she had never had sex, maybe it was supposed to be like this? Maybe she was supposed to be scared._

_He kissed her on the mouth but she imagined it was Fred. But his kisses would be softer, at least that was how she hoped they would be, not like he was trying to climb into her mouth. _

_She focused on him as the pain came. It was sharp and it lasted a while. It just felt so unnatural, and she didn't move. That was when Krum hit her and she cried. He asked her over and over again why she didn't love him but she just wanted it to be over with. And finally it was. She was just so thankful she had done the contraceptive charm silently. And thankful for Fred's face. It was the only thing that kept her from screaming._

"Hermione, Hermione are you alright?" Ginny asked and Hermione opened her eyes to see the red-head standing over her and looking puzzled. She realized she had been dreaming of that night, and she must have been calling out in her sleep.

"Yeah, sorry, nightmare," Hermione sighed, shaking a little as she sat up in the bed where Ginny had pulled the curtains back. To Hermione's displeasure, their roommates Padma and Lavender were hovering nearby looking at her skeptically.

"I'm FINE," Hermione reiterated.

"What happened with Krum? You kept saying his name…and not in a good way," Ginny asked, always the nosy one, and Hermione blanched. She knew she was in hot water if anyone found out. They would ask her questions and probably hunt him down and kill him when all she wanted to do was forget—and yet that wasn't as easy as she thought it would be.

"Nothing, like I said, nightmare," Hermione swung her legs over and off the bed, standing up and walking away from the group of girls to get ready and have an early breakfast. She was more than ready for her classes to begin so she could fall into her studying and hopefully not have a moment of downtime to think about that horrible night.

As she showered she thought about how things could have been different if she had just tried a little harder with Fred this summer. There was a time when she thought that if maybe she had stayed instead of left to see Krum, things might have developed more between her and Fred and none of this shit would have happened. She shook off the sad thought and washed her hair. Getting dressed in her school uniform, she put her hair in a low ponytail and walked to the Great Hall alone. She didn't exactly feel like having a conversation with Ginny now that the feisty little thing knew more than she should.

"Morning sunshine," Fred Weasley greeted her as she sat down. She tried to hide her bit of blush as she reached for one of the papers on the table and some wheat toast.

"Welcome to your favorite day of the year, first day of school," George joked with her. She was so appreciative that he could play along and just be the twin she knew him to be; not letting their close personal relationship ever affect any of the day to day joking and brotherly antics.

"How many classes do you have this time 'round?" Fred continued in a calmer vein of conversation, stuffing his face with eggs and bacon. When Ron used to do that she had at first found it cute, but then disgusting. With Fred, it had never lost its boyish charm.

"Eight."

"Holy shit," George whistled, "Crazy woman."

"Oy, I know Georgie…" Fred laughed and Hermione was trying her best to think of a witty comeback when Katie Bell walked up with Alicia Spinnet. Katie wrapped her arms around Fred's neck and Alicia sidled up to George. She watched her gay best friend play the act perfectly, giving the pretty dark-haired girl a kiss on the cheek and languidly drape his arm around her, holding her close.

She didn't care about how George acted, but she did have to avoid saying something snarky as Katie whispered into Fred's ear and he smacked the brunette on the ass playfully. It only served to remind Hermione of her age and the fact that he would never go for someone as mousy and nerdy as her.

"Don't be late for practice this afternoon…maybe you should come early actually…" Katie said seductively, just loud enough for Hermione to catch it and she pretended to be very interested in buttering her toast. Thankfully, Harry and Ron joined the table at the moment and she was finally able to concentrate on something else.

"Ginny said you were acting weird this morning," was Ron's greeting to her and she was suddenly not so concerned about Katie's flirting.

"Nightmare," she said coolly. But she didn't want to have to say it again.

"Was Krum really that bad of a kisser? She said you were yelling out for him to stop!" Ron laughed crassly. It made her stomach turn. She glanced at George who was trying to hide a look of panic.

"I have studying to do," she lied, standing up quickly from the table and rushing off, holding her tears until she was safely out of the Hall. She tried to only let a few tears fall, but she couldn't help it. Everything was going wrong. Ron was being a total ass, Harry was being completely unsupportive. All of her friends were minutes away from finding out that Viktor had raped her this summer and Fred was probably going to shag Katie sometime that day.

And she also hated that now that they were all back at Hogwarts, the twins were hardly ever inches from each other, which meant having a private conversation with George during daytime hours was next to impossible.

Hermione walked off to double potions early, because she would honestly rather sit in a classroom with Snape alone for fifteen minutes than be at the Gryffindor table.

**00000**

"You really shouldn't have mouthed off in Umbridge's class today. She's awful," Hermione grimaced. She was sitting in the Quidditch stands with Harry, a book splayed out across her knees as they watched the first practice of the season. She watched the team (which was mostly Weasley's at this point) fly around the pitch before returning to her book.

"She deserved it. A whole year without proper Defense spells? She's bloody psychotic," Harry groaned, he had been pissed off all day. She knew his scar was hurting him and he was angrier that the post was being watched by the Ministry, which meant all correspondence with Sirius had been cut off.

Times like these Hermione wished she could just fall into Harry's arms and cry to him, to have him hold her like a brother. But even though she knew what happened to her was traumatic, he had things of his own to deal with.

"There really has to be something we can do, maybe we can practice spells on our own," she mused absently, flipping through some of the pages. She heard one of the twins yell from the pitch as a bludger came soaring towards them. She looked up and when she saw Fred send the bludger flying the opposite way with his bat, she felt her heart rate quicken. She knew it was so stupid to have a dumb crush on him, but she couldn't help it.

"We all see it Hermione…" Harry brought her attention back to him. She gave him a puzzled look in reply.

"You know…that you have a crush on George," he smirked and her face fell.

"Oh, that's what you all think?" she asked, a little disappointed. She guessed it would seem as such, since they had spent a lot of time together—but if Harry only really knew…

"Yeah, why don't you just tell him?" Harry asked. She blushed and let her shoulders sag. She decided to add that to her list of why it was a terrible day: "All my friends think I am in love with my gay best friend and not his brother, great"

**A/N: Love you guys!**


	3. Lies

**A/N: Sorry there hasn't been an update in a while, but I have been fighting off pesky plot bunnies! Enjoy!**

"Everyone thinks we are snogging, you know," Hermione rolled her eyes as she rested on George's chest the same night in the common room. These were the times they could be together openly—the three in the bloody morning times where they were beyond tired but it was safe for them to talk like this.

"Then let's just snog and save us the trouble…" he laughed and she smacked him playfully, "But you know what I mean Hermione, if you and I got together you would make Fred jealous and I wouldn't have to worry about having to fuck a girl. We could just pretend. And then we wouldn't have to stay up in the middle of the night anymore."

She had to admit he had a valid point, but she was also concerned that if she did become faux girlfriend and boyfriend with George, that Fred would lost any hope that he had. Although she suspected he was far too interested in Katie at the moment to care.

"But.." she protested, interrupted by a yawn and he gave her a look that told her '_see…see! We are bloody tired!'_

"We could both help each other, you can make my life a lot easier, and I can help you with Fred. I promise. Trust me, he'd be livid," George smirked. He knew his twin well enough, and knew better than Hermione did that he was indeed harboring a crush on the bushy-haired brunette who was actually quite the goddess behind her swotty mouth.

"Doubt it. He could have anyone he wants."

"Yea, but don't think I didn't see you two nearly kiss a few times this summer. And he was more than a little upset when you left to visit…_him_…I nearly broke down and told him so he would go and get you and sweep you off your stubborn feet…" George argued.

"I was raped," she whispered coldly, "in no way did I want anyone to know and come sweeping me off my feet. You are lucky that I told you…and I only did it because you are my best friend in the entire world George Weasley so don't lie to me."

He hugged her tightly, burying his head in her unruly hair and smelling the soft lavender shampoo that she used. He felt awful thinking it, but he felt that Hermione was more of a sister than Ginny was to him. He had never known someone so thoroughly, and he knew they would forever be bonded by their secrets, their pasts, and their hopes for the future.

All both of them wanted was love despite diversity and challenges. Challenges they both wanted to overcome.

George draped his hand over her stomach and she shuddered, pulling away. He had momentarily forgotten that she was sensitive there and practically everywhere else on her body except her arms. It was a side-effect from her trauma.

She gave him an uncomfortable look and scooted away in the semi-darkness of the crimson common room, but he had other plans.

"I can help you with this…you know. I can help you get better for Fred. If you truly don't ever intend on telling my twin or my family, you can't go around flinching every time you are touched. I can help you heal…"

She eyed him warily. It wasn't out of her realm of comfort, after all—he was gay, and she hated how she even flinched when Ron or Harry touched her side to get her attention during meals. It was becoming a problem, all because of one cruel boy that damaged her. One horrible night. She had been carrying around that burden and sadness and she wanted desperately to be rid of it.

She grabbed George's hand and laid it on her stomach over her sweater vest. It wasn't much contact but it still gave her a small anxiety attack. He didn't move as he watched her breathe in slowly, trying to calm herself. When she stopped the deep breathes, he gently moved his flat palm in a circle over her stomach. She tensed, and then pushed him away.

"Baby steps. It's okay 'Mione. You better get some rest. We'll have plenty of time to talk in the daylight hours now that you are my girlfriend," he laughed. She got up from besides him on the plush couch.

"Hearing that come out of your mouth is too weird…"

"You should take it as a bloody compliment that you are the only girl I am willing to snog for this…"

"Let's keep the snogging to a minimum, shall we? You aren't the twin I want to be tonguing," she grinned and walked up to the girls' dormitory, crawling into her bed amidst Ginny's awful snores.

**00000**

"Next Hogsmeade trip, we're going to see if we can start to plan something to take down Umbridge…" Harry was going on about their awful DADA teacher the next morning as they all walked to breakfast. Although she knew it was a great idea, she found herself rather distracted once again. She wondered if George was going to tell everyone, and she had put on a little bit of lipgloss so that she would look more like a girl deserving of a twin—even if it was a fake relationship.

"We're going to have to be really careful mate…" Ron continued sleepily as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. She watched her two friends open some mail and avoided Ginny's suspicious looks. It was clear she was trying desperately to piece together the strange happenings lately with Hermione. From the nightmare to the sleep patterns, the girl was smart enough to deduce it within a few more days' time.

Fred was at the table first, sliding in next to Hermione. It was pretty unusual for them to every do anything unsynchronized, but his other half was missing.

"Thanks for coming out and watching us practice yesterday. I wanted to say bye but you left before we finished…" he said, trying to catch her eye although she was ignoring him mostly because of the dirty looks Katie was shooting her.

"I had to study."

"Of course you did, but I think if you just gave yourself a chance, there are other things worth studying than books," Fred smiled, and it was a half goofy, half serious smile that sent chills racing up her spine. She hated the effect he had on her from something as simple as a suggestive sentence. She only wished that he meant what he said instead of just casually flirting.

"Oi! There you are girlfriend of mine!" George walked over to the table with his perfected 'twin' swagger and wrapped his arms around Hermione from behind.

"Could you be more subtle?" she whispered sarcastically to him as he hugged her, watching all of their friends' faces show varying degrees of shock and horror.

"Ha!" Ron snorted, leaking milk out of his nose in the most disgusting way. This made Hermione huff and cross her arms indignantly. She knew she wasn't the prettiest, but she thought his reaction was rather a bit harsh.

"You two…" Ginny furrowed her brows in disbelief. George swooped down and kissed her hard on the lips to prove it to everyone before backing away. It wasn't the most awful thing in the world, but it was like kissing a brother and Hermione had to try her best not to pull a face.

"Wow," Fred said, slightly stiffly, "When were you two going to tell me?"

It came out a lot more judgmental than it should have, and it sparked a quiet hope in Hermione that maybe he was jealous.

"It's very recent Freddie…"

"VERY," she emphasized, looking up at the twin that she was madly attracted to. She just hoped it didn't run him harder into the arms of Katie, who she had little tolerance for at the moment.

"No, good for you…" Harry smiled, trying to be polite about the whole thing. Ever the diplomat.

"Great for you, bloody awesome," Fred whispered under his breath. No one heard him, not even Hermione. The entire dynamic of their group had shifted with one lie and as George and Hermione looked around at their puzzled friends, they were starting to wonder if this crazy scheme was going to hurt more than help.

**A/N: I know it's a little short but it's a bit of a transition. Leave me reviews pretty please!**


	4. Jealousy

**A/N: Sorry the updates on this and all my stories are less frequent but I started grad school so I have that to worry about, but never worry—I will never leave a story unfinished. Enjoy this chapter. And once again, I do not own any of these characters blah blah you know **

Hermione was glad that she lived through that more than awkward breakfast, and was even slightly thrilled that Fred had seemed a little upset about everything. It distracted her in Arithmancy, and she was surprised that the very same red-head she had been thinking about was standing outside of her classroom when it was dismissed.

"Can we take a walk?" Fred asked her, without any of his usual playfulness. She agreed and he grabbed her by the crook of her elbow, leading her down a long columned hallway and out to the ground near the bridge.

"So you and my brother, eh?" he laughed a little bit, and she was glad she had let him take the lead on the conversation. She didn't really know how to respond. She was still getting used to being his fake girlfriend, after all.

"Yeah, it's…"

"Why?" Fred stopped and spun so he was blocking her from walking any further. The look on his face was rather intense as he searched her eyes. She stammered and blushed. There was no way in the world that she would ever spill George's secret.

"He asked me out, I s'pose he fancies me…" she explained, wanting to kick herself for being so casual about it. She knew Fred would pick up on her hesitance.

"_You 'spose he fancies you_?" the tall redhead repeated incredulously, "I've never heard him mention anything about you in that way. I mean, I know you two are close but…_really_?"

"Are you upset?" she probed. He scoffed.

"No…no, why would I be? I just wanted to tell you that if you break his heart then don't be surprised if you have puking pastilles in your breakfast alright?" he told her before jamming his hands into the pockets of his pants and walking off in the other direction, leaving Hermione standing on the pathway in the crisp Autumn weather. She shivered a bit and strode back to the castle in a huff. _What was he so freaked out about? He had girls throwing themselves at him all the time?_

She sighed as she rounded the corner to the first floor hallway of classrooms and avoided locking eyes with Ginny who was exiting a class with Dean Thomas. Hermione briefly wondered if it was possible to switch dormitories, because that cunning little witch was going to blow everything if George and her weren't careful. And she already knew she had slipped up with Fred.

After a ridiculously long day that seemed to drag on for her, Hermione finally trudged up to the Gryffindor common room, murmured the password dejectedly (exploding snap) and flopped onto her favorite chintz cushion by the fire, trying to collect her thoughts for the moment as she mentally recounted all of her assignments and the nasty two parchment roll essay that Snape had punished them with after Ron had mouthed off in class. She couldn't believe how much trouble she was suffering from that family in just one day and as the Twins and Ginny walked through the portrait hole, Hermione knew it was far from over.

Ginny looked flustered and angry, and George was brushing her off in a hurry, walking over to Hermione and planting a wet kiss on her lips. Most of the others in the room turned to look and some gave sarcastic "oohs" who hadn't heard the announcement at breakfast. Angelina Johnson promptly got up and walked to her dormitory and Hermione had to suppress a giggle. Although the girl was very pretty—she wasn't of the gender that George really favored.

"Have a good day?" he asked, sincerely. It wasn't because of their fake relationship, because there was genuine concern in his eyes. Fred looked on warily, and she knew that something must have passed between the brothers.

"Fine, thanks. Yours?"

"Oh, you know…"

George reached out and held Hermione's hand just long enough to pull her up from her cushion. Her bushy brown hair whipped around her face at the movement, and she was trying not to flush at the scrutinizing look Fred was bestowing upon her.

"I have a ton of homework to do, can we talk later?" she asked her "boyfriend" and he nodded in understanding, that they would surely meet down here once everyone had gone to bed. Their plan for privacy once being a couple had failed, since everyone was either suspicious of them or wanted to know all of the gossip. She quickly fled up to her dormitory, knowing that even if she had to deal with Ginny, it would be better than looking at Fred.

**00000**

"I didn't know you liked her, mate," Fred said casually. He had challenged his twin to a game of Wizard's Chess in the commons and one game had turned into four. The only ones left in the spacious room were Neville and Harry, who were pouring over their Potions essays.

"Always have…" George smiled coolly, making a move across the board and taking one of Fred's knights.

"I know I never acted on it…but we both know I had a crush on her this summer…."

"Yeah, and she did on you too…but I'm an opportunist Freddie…you blew her off, so I made my move," he shrugged. Most people didn't know that lately their relationship had turned rather competitive. They tried to always show the world their fun-loving, quirky, and synchronized twin-ship, but they were both at the age where girls (or in George's case—men) were of number one priority.

"That's fucked up…" Fred tried to turn the insult into a laugh, but it didn't come off sincere.

"You have Katie all over you, why don't you just snog her senseless and be done with it?"

"Who says I haven't?" Fred countered, a bit defensively.

"Then make her your girlfriend!"

"She wasn't a good snog…and she can barely hold a conversation…." Fred sighed, crossing his arm and relinquishing this game to his brother.

"Well if you want me to give up Hermione because you were too cowardly to make a move when she clearly wanted you, then you are more off in the head than I expected!" George laughed.

"That means you are crazy too, brother—we are, after all twins, and yes, I think that would be gracious of you…" Fred smiled with that contagiously cocky lilt to his voice that everyone else found so endearing, but they really used when they were pissed at each other.

"Not happening." George said flatly, not believing how well their plan had already worked in a matter of hours. Fred was boiling over with jealousy, and he knew this would make Hermione thrilled.

"Out of the pair of us, I'm not the noble one. So I won't play by the rules," Fred winked at his twin who just shook his head and laugh.

"She's going through a lot, she doesn't need your antics," it was the first true thing that George had really said all day. As much as he wanted to help Hermione, he was scared that Fred might hurt her already fragile shell.

"We'll see Georgie, we'll see," Fred smiled and flicked his wand to close up the chess set, "But if you guys are going to snog, I don't want to see it…."

"Oh…that's too bad, you might learn something!" he called after his lanky brother who was retreating up the stairs. George as glad they left it on terms that weren't horrible, but he had other things to think about when Hermione came quietly padding down the staircase to the girls' dorms. It looked like she had been listening on the stairwell, by the smile on her face.

"I really thought this all was going to be a disaster. I mean Ginny is practically on the verge of slipping me Veriteserum and…." She stopped when she saw Neville and Harry turn from the couches and look at her.

George walked to her and took her into his arms, "He's pissed Hermione, and it's better than I thought…but now…" he whispered softly into her ear.

"Hold on…" Hermione said, looking back at Harry who was sneaking sly glances at them and then back to her pseudo-boyfriend before laying a long, seemingly passionate kiss on George. It only took a few moments before there was hurried rustling of scrolls and Harry and Neville had vacated. She let George's face go and they took over the couch, the last ones standing.

"If I were straight, I'm pretty sure that would have knocked me off my feet…" George smirked and gave her a wink.

"Have you heard from Oliver?"

George's sad head shake made her frown, "'Mione, I'm glad this is moving right along for you with Fred…but if you break up with me…not that we are really together but you know…what am I going to do?"

"I won't abandon you George, until this works out for both of us, alright?" Hermione took his hands in hers and rubbed them comfortingly. She knew a quick break-up would only look even more suspicious, and would leave him free for all the obsessive fourth years to try and jump him. They couldn't have that.

"Have I ever told you that you are the best fake girlfriend in the entire world?" he laughed and she fell into his arms giggling.

"No…but thank you."

**A/N: Reviews always welcomed!**


	5. Close Call

**A/N: I'm back! Aren't you all happy? Enjoy and leave reviews please!**

It was a lovely autumn day, but Hermione was unable to enjoy it because she had been woken up by Ginny shaking her. Apparently she had been having nightmares out loud about Krum again and they were more telling this time around.

"Did he hurt you or something?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide and scared. Hermione flushed.

"No of course not Gin, don't be silly. Shouldn't you be getting ready for Hogsmeade?" she changed the subject.

"Yeah…but aren't you coming? We're all meeting at the Three Broomsticks to talk about our own defense lessons…you have to be there!"

"I can't!" Hermione said, pretending to be upset, "I have an awful Muggle Studies essay. Fifteen feet! And I haven't even started…"

"Fine," Ginny said coolly before giving Hermione one last suspicious look and going to take a shower. Hermione readied herself for the day, knowing what she had to do. It was low on her list…almost a last resort even, but if it kept her secret, then she knew it had to be done.

While everyone lined up for Hogsmeade, Hermione walked in the opposite direction, down the staircases to the dungeons. She paused outside of Professor Snape's office before knocking with feigned confidence. In mere seconds his hunched figure was beckoning her in quickly with a sneer.

"Miss Granger, what an interesting surprise. Don't you have havoc to be wreaking with your two blundering idiots?" he asked in his monotone drawl. She tried her best to maintain a politeness as she shook her head.

"I came here to ask you for a dreamless sleeping drought. Or even the ingredients for it and I can brew it myself. I've been having awful nightmares and they are distracting me from my studies," she proceeded calmly. He looked perplexed as he surveyed her. Little did she know that he was performing Occlumency to her as they spoke-and her horrible dreams were at the forefront of her mind that he did not have to search far and she did not feel him probing.

Suddenly, his eyes went wide. He had seen. He knew. Snape turned away from her quickly.

"Professor?" she asked, confused. He had never been a fan of the girl, but he couldn't deny she was gifted in his class and the general thought of any man defiling any woman like that was blood-curdling to him.

"Miss Granger, you should have thought a bit harder about what I am capable of before you came barging in here demanding said potions from me. Of course I would be curious as to the reason you need them, yes? And of course I have my ways of finding out…"

"Sir…"

"I will not tell anyone, if that is what you wish. But I would have thought you of all people would have the common sense to not keep this a secret. As much as you may think I detest you Miss Granger it is only your friends I dislike. This is not something you have to hide…" he seemed to soften a bit as he went to his potions cupboard and pulled out a few small vials of the potion she had requested.

"I want to get over it. I don't want to drag it along with me," she told him quietly, quite freaked out that she was actually having this conversation with him.

"Well whatever you are doing isn't working. I barely had to dip into your mind to see it all right there. If you want to get over it, and move on-although I don't know or care why you are in such a hurry to—it is going to take a lot more than these," he said as he handed her the vials. She took them and tucked them in her robes' pocket.

"Thank you," she said with an appreciative nod and she saw what she figured was the closest Snape cold ever come to a paternal smile before she walked out of his office and back up towards the light of day.

She worried about what he said as she continued down the sunny hallway, and thought about if she could ever get over what Krum did to her or if she would just be sneaking bottles of potion back to her dormitory every week in order to get by. It seemed to be the only viable plan at the moment and she was lost in thought about it when she suddenly hit something slightly hard and very tall.

She looked up to see that she had embarrassingly just run into Fred Weasley's perfectly toned, Quidditch beater-worth fantasizing about chest. She flushed as he steadied her with his hands.

"Woah there Granger, what's the hurry?" he laughed and she shrugged with lack of anything better to say. She normally had a million things to say to anyone who would listen but around him she was always turning red and stammering like an idiot.

"Why didn't you go to Hogsmeade?" she asked, confused.

"I could ask you the same question…"

"Muggle Studdies essay," she recited and he gave her a suspicious look.

"Uh huh…so that explains why you were rushing down the main corridor of the school that is not anywhere near the Gryffindor common room…" he teased and she blushed even more. He liked knowing he had at least a little bit of an effect on her if he had to live with her being in a relationship with his brother.

"Well, I was on my way to do it," she saved herself and started walking again. He matched her stride.

"Mind if I join you?"

"You still haven't answered my question Fred," she said back to him, finally gaining some confidence because she was walking alongside of him and not forced to stare up into his gorgeous face.

"Just wanted some peace and quiet," he laughed as they traipsed up to the common room, mumbling the password as the Fat Lady gave them a suspicious look and the walked through. It was empty. Gryffindors usually had the highest attendance for Hogsmeade and since it was such a pretty day outside, the younger years were enjoying the weather. They had the place to their selves.

"I don't believe it…" she laughed back as she flopped onto her favorite chair. Fred sat on one opposite of her, giving her a pointed look.

"And I don't believe you have an essay that you haven't already finished, love," he winked at her. She started to wonder what he was getting at. Had he known she had stayed behind?

"How are you and Katie?" she changed the subject quickly, liking the way his eyes were washing over her and yet feeling squeamish under his gaze.

"There is no "me and Katie," he smirked, "Never was…how are you and my dear brother?"

"Great."

"Just great?"

"Perfect." She finished and he smiled again.

"So then why are you here instead of being an annoyingly lovey-dovey couple with him in Hogsmeade?" Fred queried and she wished that he would just disappear. It was getting harder and harder to control her thoughts about kissing him and she knew nothing could happen until George started to make some headway with Oliver.

"George respects that I have to study…I'm taking more classes than anyone else after all…" she reasoned with him and he ran a lazy hand through his ginger hair.

"Isn't that nice…"

"It is, actually," she pursed her lips.

"But you see, if you were _my_ girlfriend. I wouldn't give a damn if you had to study," he smirked suggestively, moving off of his chair and walking over to where she was sitting. She sat up a little straighter as he moved closer and perched himself on the low arm of the chair. He bent down closer to her and she suddenly found it very hard to breathe.

"But I'm not your girlfriend," she whispered. She so badly wanted to whisper something else instead but she knew if she did it could be disastrous.

"And it's a bloody shame," he winked at her before getting up and walking casually up to his dormitory without another word to her. She had to remind herself to breathe as she felt so flustered and hot and turned on. She groaned out audibly in frustration as she rushed up to her own room and pulled out some parchment and a quill. She sat down at her desk and hurriedly started to write.

_Dear Oliver…._

**A/N: That's all I have for you now, lovely readers but I do appreciate your follows, favorites and kind reviews. If you are looking for more HP fic to read in between updates, may I suggest my other stories: **_**Choices**_**, **_**One More Night**_**, or **_**The Two Halves of Hermione Granger**_**? *Shameless plug is shameless* haha. Or check out my favorite stories for some more good fic. Until next time!**


	6. Flirtations

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long guys! Grad school and all that jazz, but I love ya!**

Hermione,

Nice to hear from you. I just want you to know that what happened between George and is not what he thinks it is. Can you meet me tomorrow night in Hogsmeade? I know it shouldn't be problem…if I remember correctly you and Harry and Ron were always sneaking around. Reply only if you can't make it.

Oliver

Hermione sighed and folded up the letter, sticking it in her robes pocket for safekeeping. She was happy that Oliver had replied to quickly let alone replied at all and she was hoping that she could make George happy. Although it was comforting in an odd sort of way to have him be her fake boyfriend, she still knew he was unhappy and she was frustrated.

She could just feel that maybe—just maybe Fred was interested in her, especially after his more than flirtatious banter with her alone in the commons and the last few days had been more of the same. Thankfully, though, the dreamless sleep potion was keeping her night terrors away and thus keeping Ginny subdued. The littlest Weasley had given up her interrogation about Krum for the moment, so Hermione had one less thing to worry about.

"Mione, Neville found somewhere we can hold Dumbledore's Army meetings!" Harry tapped her on the shoulder fervently and she jolted out of her stupor. To her surprise, she had walked all the way down from her dorm and into the common room without being aware of what she was doing.

"Oh, erm, great Harry, really great," she tried to feign enthusiasm, but she really had more important things to worry about. Harry and Ron had been spearheading this whole 'Dumbledore's Army' project right under Umbridge's nose so they could practice defense spells and apparently they were making more headway than she expected.

"Meet us in the third floor corridor after dinner, but act normal," Ron urged her and she rolled her eyes. If there was anyone that would act jumpy it would be him. But she promised she would so that she could hurry up and meet George.

Walking the opposite way of her friends, lying and saying she was going to the library, Hermione actually headed towards a deserted classroom near the Prefect's bathroom where George had told her to meet. She sighed in relief when she found him already in there and locked the door behind her.

"How's everything?" he asked.

"Alright, the potions are helping…"she said noncommittally. She didn't dare tell him she owled Oliver, because she knew he would be livid for invading his privacy.

"Good, and you heard about the DA thing ya?"

She nodded again, trying to play it up but he saw right through it.

"Love what's wrong?" George leaned against one of the desks, looking at her quizzically. She could tell from his eyes alone that he was concerned about her and part of her just wanted to break down and let him hold her, but today wasn't the day for that.

"I just want him George, I really want him…"

She couldn't believe the words had even come out of her mouth and he started to smirk a little bit and then it turned into a giggle, then into a full blown howl. Soon they were both laughing at her brazen statement until they had laughed all the pain and hurt right out of their bodies. Hermione reveled in it, it felt so good to laugh.

"Little miss goody-two shoes, downright panting for my brother. How bizarre is that?"

"Very" she admitted and he beckoned her over to him.

"You haven't forgotten what this is all about have you? Don't think I haven't noticed those ridiculously cheesy lines Fred is laying on your every hour of everyday. And it is honestly getting bloody hard to act like the jealous boyfriend because in case you haven't noticed…I'm just not that into you…"George smirked.

"You just aren't into women, you prat," she playfully slapped him and he laughed, pulling her into a loose hug. He then pulled back from her a little bit and pushed a bit of her slightly frizzy hair behind one of her small ears.

"Don't freak out…" he whispered and she nodded. He slowly brought his hands down from her hair and onto her shoulders, kneading the tense knots of her neck for a moment before sliding down her arms which she had no problems with and the moving inward to her sides. She flinched automatically but he gave her a reassuring look before softly rubbing his hands over the tender area between her ribs and hips. It was the spot she was most sensitive about. She stiffened at his touch.

"Darling, it's okay. From here on out anyone that is going to touch you is going to love you. I love you…like a brother…and Fred would never ever hurt you. No one is EVER going to hurt you again while I'm alive," he told her and she nodded, breathing through her nose so she could concentrate on taking a bad memory and turning it onto a good one.

"I just want all this to go away, I want to forget."

"You won't ever forget, but it will get better. I promise Mione, I swear on my life" George told her, slowly moving down to her hips and placing one hand on the small of her back. She didn't flinch as badly this time and then he took his hands off of her.

"It's getting there," she admitted. She no longer associated some parts of her body with that night any more. But only some.

"I know, but that's enough for today, breakfast?" he asked, putting his arm out for her to take and she took it as they walked along to the Great Hall.

**000**

"Okay first lesson, stunning spells…" Harry was thinking on his feet. He didn't really expect to be standing in this room…the room they realized was named the Room of Requirement, with over thirty students from every house by Slytherin looking to him for direction. Hermione stood near the back in between the Twins and watched as Harry began pairing them up into groups.

"I call her," Fred smirked at his twin, taking Hermione by the arm and pulling her to an empty space in the large room. Hermione took her wand out of her pocket and readied it. George got paired with Luna Lovegood and he looked back at his fake-girlfriend dejectedly.

"Eyes on me love," Fred cockily snapped her attention back to him, but she had to admit she liked him working for it. The past few days he had been flirting with her relentlessly, teasing her with his looks even though Katie Bell was still smarting that he had rejected her seemingly in favor of an already taken girl.

Harry told them all to start practicing and Hermione rolled her eyes; with a quick flick of her wand she had disarmed Fred.

"No fair!"

"Maybe you should pay attention rather than trying to piss off your brother," she quipped back, but her snideness was not convincing.

"I'm not trying to piss him off, I'm _trying_ to turn you on…" he said in a low voice, having to walk past her to retrieve his wand. When he fetched it, and as he walked back past her, he placed a lingering hand on her lower back. Hermione had to physically stop herself from squirming uncomfortably but she did a fair job at it and he shook his head to the side, trying to get some of his long red hair out of his face.

"I have a boyfriend,"

"And?"

"And he's your twin!"

"You know you like it," he smirked back, catching her off guard this time and stunning her with a quick and powerful spell. Harry happened to be walking by and clapped Fred on the back proudly. The entire room was full of the sounds of spells reverberating and happy encouragement. The DA lesson couldn't have been going any smoother, but Hermione found she was quite flustered.

"Point proven," he told her and she quickly fired off a body bind curse at him to shut him up. She knew they hadn't moved on to that quite yet, but she also knew that if he kept teasing her, she was going to walk right up and kiss him and she couldn't do that without blowing everything.

She cursed herself for being such a hormonal and stupid girl as she twirled her wand in her fingers, watching Fred blush from the unexpected move.

**000**

"It was murder trying to get out here Oliver…Umbridge has the entire school on a trial lockdown," Hermione sighed as she slipped off the Invisibility cloak she had taken from Harry's dorm while the boys were at dinner. Oliver Wood looked just as he used to at school with them, except he was sporting a rather large and nasty looking black eye.

She had met him in the Alleyway between Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks. It was dark and cold and she could barely make out his face in the moonlight.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but I wanted to show you in person," he apologized, pointing to his black eye.

"What is that from?" she asked quickly and he looked pained to say it.

"My teammates found out that I was seeing George, and they started to get on my case about it. Then they started to beat the shit out of me. I got this yesterday, right before I put in my resignation from Puddlemere," he said sadly. Hermione gasped in shock and horror. Playing for Puddlemere United had always been Oliver's dream and when he got drafted right out of Hogwarts, he was ridiculously happy.

"I'm so sorry…"

"Not your fault love, look…I love George, still do. I dunno if he loves me, but I just didn't want him to see me go through this or have him go through this. Most people still aren't that understanding unfortunately, especially in the Quidditch world…"

"He misses you, he really wants to see you, please at least talk to him," Hermione begged and Oliver looked even more pained than he looked a moment ago. He literally looked on the verge of tears.

"I don't want him to have to suffer like I have. We had to sneak around all summer. That is no way to have a relationship and I know you know that…" Oliver sighed.

"Some things are worth pulling through and fighting for Oliver, and I think George is one of those things. If you want to come back under the cloak with me and see him…it fits two easily…" she proposed. He thought about it for a second as she looked around to make sure no one was coming. Without another word he ducked underneath the cloak and they found an easy rhythm with their steps back to the castle.

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Slip Up

**A/N: Hope you guys are having a great day, I just wanted to thank you all for reading…and if you like Sirius/Remus as a pairing, check out the amazing onebigscribble's "Some People Have Real Problems" amazing fic!**

"Wait here, let me go get him," Hermione whispered at the cloaked form of Oliver Wood as they stood in the empty Gryffindor common room. It had been quite the challenge sneaking back into the castle, but Hermione managed, quite proud of herself that she had done it alone. Oliver's voice, muffled by the fabric, told her okay.

She tip-toed up to the boys' dormitory and brandished her wand, unlocking the door to the Twin's and Lee Jordan's room. Her best friend was sleeping soundly (and snoring rather loudly) in the bed closest to her. Most people couldn't tell the twins apart, but Hermione could. She saw them as so different that half the time she wondered how they really could be twins at all. She reached for George's shoulder and softly shook him awake.

"'Mione what the hell?" he groaned into the dark, barely able to see her and only recognizing her from the curls tickling his face.

"Downstairs, now," she whispered urgently, leaving him to pull on a shirt. When he came ambling down the staircase, all he saw was Hermione standing in the middle of the common room. Only she heard the sharp intake of breath from Oliver, still hidden under the cloak.

"What is it Hermione? It's the middle of the fucking night!" George groaned, running his hand absently through the mess of his shaggy ginger hair, just making it messier.

"Oliver…" was all she said, turning to look pointedly at where she knew he was standing. He whipped off the cloak and handed it to Hermione. She stepped away as the boys stared at each other for a long moment, George taking a few steps closer.

"_Oliver_…"

"Just hear me out George, before you say anything…please!" Oliver said with his large eyes that were desperately trying to convey to him his sincerest apologies. George, however, wanted nothing to do with it and charged at his ex, pummeling him to the ground.

"BOYS! STOP IT!" Hermione whisper-screamed as loud as she could to try and prevent them from waking up the entire house. There were still wrestling on the floor, throwing unsuccessful punches when Hermione managed to stun George off of Oliver.

"I don't blame you for that mate…" Oliver panted, his voice cracking on his thick Scottish accent.

"You left me, just like that…for Merlin's sake why are you even here? How?"

"Just let him explain George, just calm down for two seconds!" Hermione scolded him rather motheringly and he finally gave in, sitting down on the couch and crossing his arms as he stared at the boy he was still very much in love with.

"Puddlemere found out. And I quit…" Oliver began, pointing to his smarting black eye, "I didn't want you to have to deal with what I had to…I didn't want you to have to start school this year and someone find out about what we had and have them hurt you like they hurt me."

"So you still….?" George asked hopefully, his look softening.

"Of course, George, I was just trying to protect you."

"And how?"

"Well, your charming little 'girlfriend' owled me, saying you were quite distraught…" Oliver smirked and George gave Hermione a glare that didn't quite turn out as menacing as he hoped it would.

"Fuck, I'm so glad to see you," George finally said, leaping off the couch, helping Oliver up and hugging him hard.

"Take the cloak with you when you leave, Oliver…I think you can find your way out, and just owl it back to me okay?" Hermione asked of him, wanting to give the two boys some time alone. Oliver agreed and she snuck back up to her dorm after casting a quick silencing spell on the common room, knowing the boys wouldn't think of such things.

As she tucked herself back in bed, she smiled to herself remembering the look of sheer happiness on George's face. It was like he could be himself for a brief moment, and she surely hoped he was taking advantage of what she had provided for him. Even though she wasn't with the boy she wanted, she was happy that her best friend was.

**o0o**

"How was it?" Hermione asked with a satisfied smirk as her and George walked arm and arm down the second floor corridor together in between classes the next morning. She knew by his face at breakfast that what she had succeeded in doing was altogether worth it.

"Although I am very disappointed in you for breaking so many school rules…" he said sarcastically, being honestly very proud of her scheming, since getting something past a Twin was altogether nearly impossible, "It was great. We…made up."

Hermione watched as George's pale face flushed a bit and she squeezed him arm in excitement, realizing how weird it was that her 'boyfriend' and herself were basically gossiping about boys together.

"So are you two back on?"

"We are going to try and work something out for Hogsmeade trips and such, but what about you? I assume this plan of yours was all to fast-forward your hooking up with my brother?" George inquired and now it was Hermione's turn to blush.

"Well we can't just break up and have me hop to him…I'd look like such a slag!"

"If they only knew," George joked and she pinched him, causing him to laugh. In between their play fighting, they didn't notice the boy in question walk up to them.

"Morning lovebirds," Fred said with a definite air of disgust.

"Goodmorning, oh brother of mine!" George smiled and Hermione relinquished his arm, trying not to stare too flirtatiously at the other tall, handsome red-head.

"Morning psychopaths, I was just on my way outside for a walk during my free period, because studying in the library is for…well, not for me and we all know that. Unless it is studying birds…" he winked at Hermione who tried not to fidget under his stare.

"And your point is brother?" George asked.

"My point is that Hermione also has a free period now and I was wondering if she would like to join me. I am asking your permission, since I know you two can't be separated without written consent," Fred grinned cheekily at both of them.

"Always trying to take away my girlfriend…" George mock sighed but gave Hermione a fleeting look that urged her to go.

"Always," Fred reiterated.

"I could use some fresh air," she shrugged.

"See! Looks like she'd rather spend time with me anyway!" Fred smiled triumphantly and took Hermione by the arm.

"I never said that!" she laughed, waving goodbye to George as they parted and she walked the opposite way with the boy she really wanted to be with. They chatted happily about school and Quidditch practice and other trivial things as they walked out onto the grounds. It was crisp and windy, and in a few days snow would surely be covering the large grassy fields that they were currently walking across.

"Have you and George had sex?"

"_Wha_?"

"You heard me Granger…."

There was a long beat of silence between them as they walked. It had come out of nowhere but Fred's tone was rather serious and she had no idea why he would ask.

"That really is none of your business," she said after a long while.

"I'll take that as a no…"

Hermione slipped her arm out of his and spun around to face him, effectively stopping the tall boy in his tracks. Her curly hair whipped around her face in the wind and her eyes narrowed.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Curious."

"Then ask _him_! Why are you constantly trying to get me alone? Why are you flirting with me shamelessly? Why do you care if we have done _it_…"

"You can't even say it! What are you, a virgin?"

Fred regretted it the instant he said it. He knew he was being an ass, but he didn't understand her and George's relationship. He thought she liked his flirting, but he had only meant to playfully egg her on, tease her to see her beautiful blush creep up her cheeks but he had gone much too far.

"Well I will have you know, I am not one…" she told him, pushing past him and walking determinedly back up to the castle. She tried to hold back the tears that pricked in her eyes, but soon they were falling freely. She wasn't no longer a virgin by choice. If she had had her way, Fred would have been her first…and now, she wished she never met Krum or the Twins at all…seeing as he was being an ass about the thing that haunted her worst nightmares. She didn't look back to see if he followed her, just closed her eyes as the tears dried and let her feet carry her away from him.


	8. Truths

Hermione ran straight up the stairs to the Gryffindor commons, giving the Fat Lady the password with tears streaming down her face.

"Whoah whoah whoah, hold on a second," George said in utter confusion as he caught the crying brunette in his arms.

"George so help me…I will hex your balls off, let me go!" she struggled against his muscled beater arms but his grip didn't break. Luckily the common room was empty as everyone had headed down to lunch.

"No. What is going on?" he asked seriously, pulling back so that he could look Hermione in the eye. Hers were swollen, watery, and red and her face was scrunched up in the saddest way.

"Not now George…" she begged again. He finally let her go and she scrambled away from him up to her dormitory. A few seconds later he heard a loud 'slam'.

Puzzled, George sat down on one of the couches in the commons and tried to go over what could have possibly happened. He had left her alone with Fred, who she was downright smitten with, so why in Merlin's name was she crying like a banshee?

Fred walked through the portrait hole looking distraught ten minutes later, seemingly relieved to see his twin.

"Did 'Mione come back up here?" he asked nervously.

"What's it to you? Did you do something to her?" George questioned, starting to put two and two together, realizing his arse other half must have said something wrong.

"I got carried away. I called her a virgin and she freaked out on me. But I was only joking…I knew she wouldn't be if you two…"

Fred stopped mid-sentence when he saw the nearly murderous look in his brother's eyes. George was trying his best to refrain from punching him, and now he knew why Hermione had been besides herself.

"Fred…Oh Merlin…" George sighed, knowing he was at the ultimate turning point. His best friend had given him the ultimate gift by bringing Oliver back to him, but in his heart he knew the only way he could bring Fred to her was to tell him the truth.

"George, you are scaring me…" Fred said, sitting down. He knew his twin well enough to know something was terribly wrong and that he had made a horrible mistake. The pang in his heart from their deep bond told him that much.

"We need to talk."

"Clearly," Fred told him as George looked around to make sure there were no loitering little first years before placing a quick silencing bubble around them and looking into his brother's eyes.

"Hermione and I have not had sex. And she is not a virgin, for starters. But she wishes she was…"

"I am not following…" Fred scrunched his eyebrows.

"You know when she went to visit Krum this summer? Something…happened…"

"Okay, so they had sex…I'm not under-"

"Fred stop being thick, he raped her. So of course she freaked out when you called her a virgin. He was her first, and she'd give anything to take it all back!"

Fred was stunned into silence, he had no idea what to do or say, but he knew that his heart ached for the bushy-haired brunette who he had put into tears. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and apologize a thousand times.

"Shit, I'm an arse…" Fred breathed out, running his hand over his face in complete shock that was quickly manifesting itself into anger. Soon all he could see was red, and he jumped up off the couch and started to pace.

"I'll kill him, I'll fucking kill him. No one touches Hermione like that and lives to get away with it…why didn't she tell mum and dad? Why did she only tell you? Did you have a thing going with her then?" Fred whipped around to his brother.

"She has her reasons for keeping quiet and see…that's the other thing I need to talk to you about. 'Mione and I haven't had sex…we aren't even a real couple. Fred, Merlin I've wanted to tell you a thousand times but I didn't think you would understand. But I'm gay," he looked up at his brother pleadingly to still love him, to not reject him, to understand.

"George…" Fred whispered and then ambushed him with a hug, starting to tear up as he clapped his twin on the back over and over again, "Why did you keep this a secret? I wouldn't have told anyone. You'll always be my brother and my best friend. I don't give a flying fuck if you are into guys or not…I really don't…"

George smiled widely, his heart feeling ten times lighter when his brother finally let him go. Both of them had to wipe their eyes a bit and then laughed at what emotional prats they were being.

"So you and 'Mione…"

"Absolutely fake. I just didn't want to have to explain to everyone why I was single and you were running around with every girl in the castle. Especially considering I am the better looking one out of the two of us…" he laughed as Fred's head spun. It was so much information to take in.

"So…she likes me?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself mate, you just shattered her. First things' first…go apologize. She's up in her room. And then we can work out the rest, but please, not a word of any of this to anyone outside the three of us, understood?"

Fred gave a nod and a smile before walking tentatively up to the girls' dormitories, following the sounds of muffled tears.

**A/N: OKAY OKAY, do not murder me yet. I know this is BY FAR the shortest chapter of this story. But A) it is a transition and B) I wanted to give you something to show you I have not forgotten this story. I have finals the next two weeks and then I will be back in full force writing normal chapters. But until then, this was just a little bit in my half hour break to hold you over. So no hate please!**


	9. A New Start

**A/N: Okay, so it has been an unforgivably long time since I updated this story, I am so sorry! My inspiration sometimes kidnaps me for a while, but I love you all. Enjoy!**

"Knock knock!" Fred said with a slightly jokey tone as he stood in the doorway of Hermione's dormitory. Her back was facing him and she was sniffling loudly into her pillow, the covers thrown over her in a partial barrier to the outside world and the drapes around the bed half shut. All he could see was her bunched up grey jumper and a little bit of curls.

"GO AWAY!"

"Hermione, don't be like that," Fred took a tentative step into the room, thankful it was unoccupied for the moment. Crookshanks scurried out from under her bed, hissed at him, and then ran through Fred's legs and down the stairs.

"Haven't you said enough to me today?"

"Yes, and I've come to apologize for being a git, really," he sighed. He took the last few steps to cover the space between the door and her bed and parted the drapes wider to sit on the edge of the thing, placing a hand on back. She instantly bolted away from him, turning and sitting up on the bed with a look of horror and hurt. Fred instantly realized why touching her might be a bad idea. He took out his wand, aimed it at the door and it closed, locked itself, and he put a silencing charm on it to insure their privacy. This made Hermione uneasy as well, and she scooted away from him.

"Hermione, listen. I know. I know everything. George and I were just talking. He told me how he is gay and you've been his cover, and about Krum…I know, it's okay," he reached out as she started to cry again and put his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Why? Why would he tell you?" she felt hurt at her best friends' betrayal of her deepest, darkest secret. No one was ever supposed to know. No one was ever supposed to feel sorry for her, to walk around her like she was a piece of breakable china.

"Because he cares about you and so do I. What I said out there, that was unforgivable I know. I was so jealous of George, and I have been moping around for weeks because I wanted you and I've made a right fool out of myself in the process. But I want to start over, I really do 'Mione," Fred said pleadingly, looking into her dark chocolate eyes with his hopeful blue ones. She hesitated for a moment, looking up at him, then suddenly her hand was across his face and she was slapping him—hard.

"OW!"

"You deserved that," she said primly, massaging her hand for a second as he grasped at his red cheek. She then rolled down her sweater sleeves and seemed rather pleased with herself, a smile playing at the corner of her lips. And Fred was so far gone that he didn't care if slapping him did get her to smile, so long as she did.

"Anything else you want to do to me?"

"Not at the moment. But I would like to talk," she admitted and he nodded, closing the drapes around them for even more privacy he sat on one side of the bed and she on the other, and finally she spoke, "I thought I was falling in love with you this summer. As stupid as it seems now. I am so young, so naïve, but I really did fancy you Fred Weasley. I tried to make it known, but I thought you thought me some childish little twit and so when Krum owled, I went. Mistake number one…" she finished the last bit under her breath, looking down at her folded hands.

"Hermione, I liked you too. I was just afraid George would have my nuts…I saw how close you too were, and of course you are my brother's best friend and Mum would kill me…"

"But mostly you were just chicken…"she said, looking up at him with piercing clarity.

"Smartest witch of her age…"

"I though Krum loved me, he told me he did, many times. But his hands on my skin felt so rough, and it…well Fred it was the scariest damn moment of my life. And to be honest with you…I got through it by thinking of you. I just tuned everything out, the pain, everything. I just thought about how it would be different with you," she started to tear up again and Fred's heart hurt. He felt so many emotions whipping through his body. Love for the girl in front of him, rage for the man that did that to her…

"So obviously when I brought up the virgin bit…"

"It was touchy, because I wanted you to be my first, as silly as it sounds," Hermione finished for him softly.

"It isn't silly. It is beautiful. I would have been a lucky man to receive such a gift, and that bastard can rot in fucking hell as far as I am concerned…has he contacted you since?"

"No. Thankfully. If he ever did though, I would hex him into next year. And I made that very clear to him. Look Fred, I never told anyone because I didn't want anyone to worry about me. I hate being babied. I don't think of him now much…I've been having nightmares but Snape has been helping me with those, and the only other thing I have to deal with is the physical scars…" she explained.

"That's why no one but George can touch you with you jumping half a foot huh?" Fred realized slowly, shaking his head in understanding and she nodded.

"It's been hard. George has tried to help but I feel awful. I know I am the last one he wants to touch intimately." She laughed a bit and so did Fred and it eased the tension momentarily.

"Hermione," Fred swallowed hard, working up nerve as he moved closer to her on the bed and took her soft, small hands in his, "I made a mistake. I should have told you how I felt this summer, but I am not going to waste a second longer making it anything less than clear to you how I feel. I really like you Hermione. And I want to be there to help you through all of this, to help you overcome it."

"But you don't have to do that for me! Why get involved with this mess when you could have any girl you want!"

"Because they aren't you. They aren't smart, and funny, and beautiful and real like you are. All they want is meaningless shagging. No conversation. No laughing. No getting to know each other. I know a lot about you Hermione, but I want to know all of you. Please let me," he asked her.

"Do you promise not to hurt me?" she asked.

"I promise never to, and I will never let anything like what you went through happen again. I want to show you that love doesn't have to be like that. It doesn't have to hurt and scar." Fred reached up and stroked her cheek gently.

"I never knew you had this side to you," Hermione admitted. She saw it from George, so she guessed it made sense. But Fred had always seem happy, cavalier, and play-boy-ish.

"Guess it took the right girl to bring it out," he smiled cheekily, his head cocked to the side with some of his hair falling into his eyes, "May I kiss you Hermione?"

"Fred…"

"Just a kiss, one kiss," he told her. Hermione knew she would be lying if she didn't admit she had wanted this for a long long time, that fantasies of her first kiss with Fred had kept her awake many a night at the Burrow over holiday, but it was never like this. She had never felt so vulnerable. Usually her fantasies consisted of her walking into his room and purposefully telling him that she was going to snog him senseless and then doing it. He was never in control. And she figured it was because loss of control scared her…as it had every right to after what she had been through.

"Just one…" she whispered and he gently reached his hand up to cradle her neck, pulling her closer to him and planting a small but sensual kiss on her pulse point on her neck then moving his way up, to her jawline, then to the corner of her mouth before indulging her in the sweetest, sexiest, best kiss Hermione Granger had every experienced in her short life. He was slow and gentle, caressing her lips with his incredible soft ones and she felt her fingers tangle themselves in his slightly messy red hair on their own accord but she didn't mind. She felt happy for once.

Fred leaned her back onto her pillow and followed, but his hands didn't stray. He just kept kissing her slowly, exploring her, and finally her mouth opened to him; begging him for more. He obliged her with a slower and more probing kiss and she felt like she was in heaven.

Fred, on the other hand, couldn't believe he was kissing Hermione. He had thought about it for so long, even when he knew he shouldn't have. He thought of all the excuses, her age, his brother and sister, but nothing mattered. She tasted like honey and blueberries and he knew he could kiss her forever if she would let him.

After a few more long moments, they broke apart, both smiling like loons and breathing heavily. Fred was painfully aroused and Hermione was nearly soaked through her knickers but neither would tell the other such. He wanted to be a gentleman and she couldn't believe that sex was something that she thought of in a positive way now after everything.

"'Mione you are incredible," he whispered, brushing a curl away from her pretty face.

"You aren't so bad yourself Fred," she blushed and the pink colored her cheeks sweetly.

"Listen, get some rest. I am sure your roommates will be back soon. I'll talk to you tomorrow" he promised and with a wink, he was gone.


	10. Into the Dark

**A/N: Again, sorry for the long gaps in updates but I am trying here! Enjoy and lots of love**

"Hermione! Hermione wake up!"

She had been asleep for only a few hours, dreaming of the kiss she and Fred had shared earlier in the night and having the most restful sleep she had had in weeks. Now she was suddenly being pulled out of her bed, a flurry of confusion around her and she slipped on her robe.

A few moments later, Hermione blinked hard, not believing her eyes and rubbed them nearly raw as she sat in Dumbledore's office. She was holding Ginny, but limply as the girl cried. Fred and George were leaning on each other across the room, both teary-eyed. Ron was a mess. Harry and Dumbledore were having a conversation about a vision Harry had had about Mr. Weasley being attacked. It seemed surreal.

"It's true, let's get the children to St. Mungo's" Professor McGonagall said hurriedly and the warm body of Ginny left Hermione's side. Neither of the twins looked at her as they followed McGonagall out of the office and was replaced quickly by a grumbling Snape whom Dumbledore insisted take Harry immediately to block his mind from Voldemort.

Hermione had never felt so alone. Her best friend, the boy she loved, and her partner in everything were all somewhere else, suffering from immense trauma and there was nothing she could do about it. Dumbledore bade Hermione gently back to bed and she walked along the empty, dark corridors with tears rolling down her face. Everything had just started to fall in place…and now Fred, George, Ron, Ginny…and the rest of the Weasley's could lose a father and a husband. It wrenched at her soul. She had thought about telling Mr. Weasley what happened with her and Krum, but saw him so much like a father that she didn't want to see him upset or mad.

She wished she would have been there more for Harry. He had been acting a little off, but she had truly not realized he had been going through such a connection with Voldemort and weathering such nightmares of his own. She had been two wrapped up in her own crisis that their joint fight against the dark lord had taken a backseat to her being a confused, hurt, and lonely girl.

She knew she had deserved that break, but now things were desperate. She waited up as long as she could in her dormitory but Ginny never returned. She finally took one of her last vials of dreamless sleep potion and let the world fade to black around her.

The next morning, Hermione was woken by a long, warm presence against her. She kept her eyes closed but rolled into it, knowing who it was.

"George is your dad okay?"

"Yeah. He'll be okay. He looks worse than he is, but Harry saved his life."

"I am so sorry I couldn't be there for you last night."

"Fred helped me, and I him."

"Why did you tell him that I was…I was…" Hermione finally opened her eyes but she couldn't bring herself to say the word. George's blue ones met hers and they looked tired and as if they had been crying.

"You helped me. You brought Oliver back. The only way that I could explain away this mess we got ourselves into was to explain it with the truth. I am sorry, but Fred needed to know. And I really needed to come out to him," George said.

"Are you going to with your family?"

"I thought about it…Fred was so supportive, I knew everyone else would be…but with last night, now is not the time".

Hermione nodded and cuddled close to her best friend, "Everything will be okay right George?"

"Yes. Now get up, try and do something with that hair of yours, and let's enjoy this special day."

"How is it special?"

"Oh my dear Hermione, today is the day you and I are breaking up! See you at breakfast!" he rolled off of her bed and with a wink was gone. She shook her head at how he could be so optimistic after the terrible circumstances that had befallen his family. It was admirable. He was courageous, and so was his twin…which she loved about him.

She got dressed in her robes and walked to breakfast with Ron and Ginny. Ginny wasn't having an easy morning but Ron was being a sweet older brother and babying her the whole way there. It made Hermione crack a smile to see that side of one of her best friends. It upset her that Harry was missing…and she figured that whatever he had gone through last night with Snape must have been hell.

She sat down and dug into some granola when George strode purposefully up to her sitting at the table surrounded by a full crowd of fellow Gryffindors. He looked around and then cleared his throat.

"Hermione, I've been thinking. It just isn't working out between us. You are so smart and I am…well I'm George Weasley and I have things to set on fire and I just don't have time for you nagging me to do my schoolwork and such. I'm sorry, it's over."

It was all very simple, and very lame yet well-executed and Angelina had the happiest smirk on her face as George sat down by his twin and ate breakfast as if nothing happened. Hermione blushed, only from the whispers about her for a few minutes but soon the Daily Prophet came in and all was old news…and now focused on the Weasley patriarch.

Fred visibly paled as he unfolded the paper in front of him and saw an article about how a Ministry official was attacked…detailing the events surrounding his father. Hermione tried to give him a comforting look, but he seemed strained. She could imagine, he and George had to keep Ron and Ginny safe and okay here without being privy to any more information.

Later on that afternoon, after double potions in which Snape looked at Hermione with extra concern and at Harry with disdain (who had yet to say a word to either her or Ron), Hermione met Fred by the entrance to the castle. It was a pretty day and they had decided to take a walk down to the lake. It took them nearly half the trip there until Fred gingerly slipped his hand over hers and she smiled to herself.

Once there, they sat down near the edge of the black lake, taking off their shoes and Hermione wiggled her small pink toes as she leaned into Fred.

"I'm sorry about your Dad," she said after a while of silence.

"He's been through worse with the Order the first time around. He'll be okay. He was lucky," Fred shrugged although she knew it was weighing on him, "Thanks for being there for me. I want to be there for you too…you've been through hell and dark times and I am facing them now. I know this sounds a bit contrived but I promise it's not 'Mione…I want to go all through this with you, and come out stronger."

Hermione squeezed his hand, "I won't abandon you if you won't abandon me, I promise."

**A/N: Please review!**


	11. Secrets

**A/N:** Hey guys, sorry for the long time, no update on this story, but here is a long-awaited chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! AND, if you are looking for reading between updates, check out **Beyond by Onebigscribble**, **The Trick of Time by Resa Aureus**, **Unintentional Inveiglement by Onecelestialbeing**, **Love is a Ruthless Game by VenusInHerHair**, and **the Devil is the Camera by hollister9**. My top 5 fave current stories, so please stop by and give my friends some love! Also, if you want updates about my updates, follow me on twitter at **rileyxpotter17**. Love you guys!

**~o0o~**

"No….please no…it hurts please…." Hermione whimpered out in her sleep. For the few moments prior she had been tossing about and making soft, unpleasant sounds, but now her voice was escalating in pitch and Fred knew it would soon turn into a scream. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, nearly two weeks after they had made their relationship official, and the couple was sitting in the common room. Fred was lounging upright on the left side of a loveseat, and Hermione's curly head was in his lap as she had napped for the past half hour. Ginny, who was the only one in the common room with them, looked up from her Charms essay in horror.

"What's wrong with her?" she asked, frightened. She had heard Hermione have nightmares before, but it had been weeks since the last one. Fred had bent over her and was running a soothing hand over her forehead, whispering softly to her.

"Shhh, Hermione, wake up. It's okay, it's not real…" he coaxed her back into reality slowly and when her large brown eyes opened and saw her boyfriends' face above hers, her expression mellowed from fear to relief. She sat up slowly and he was careful to only touch her minimally.

"Was I loud?" she whispered so that only Fred could hear.

"Yes. I thought you stopped having the nightmares," he continued their conversation, even as Ginny was now standing up from the table she had her book spread out upon, her hands on her hips as she waited to be acknowledged.

"I usually don't nap, and I take potions at night at…you know this…"

"_AHEM_," Ginny said loudly and the couple turned to her, "Hermione, since you have dated both of my older brothers in the span of a month…I think I have the right to know what the bloody hell is going on!"

"_Language_ little sister!"

"Oh shut up Fred, I've said worse. And if you tell mum, I'll send a bat bogey your way that will make you go sobbing your eyes out to her, clear? Now, I may be the runt of the Weasley family, but I'm not the idiot. I know these are nightmares and I know they have something to do with Krum and I will not leave this room until I know exactly what is going on."

Hermione and Fred exchanged fearful looks at the youngest redhead's withering threat. Since Fred and Hermione had made it official, rumors had spread about the swotty Gryffindor. Mainly that she was easy, apparently being passed back and forth between the Twins. Consequently, this elicited quite dirty and rude remarks anytime she was within ten feet of Malfoy, or any other Slytherin. George still had not come out to anyone else, and every time Hermione ventured down to the potion master's labs for more dreamless sleep draught, he became harsher with her-occasionally delving into her mind just to prove to her how bad what happened to her really was. It was getting unbearable. On top of that, the Christmas holidays were approaching and Mr. Weasley was still recovering from his awful injury. Harry was in the foulest mood Hermione had ever seen him in now that he had some sort of extra lessons with Snape, and Ron was wandering around like a lost puppy. In short, Hermione was livid at herself for her nightmares ruining one of the first calm moments she and Fred had had together.

"Maybe it's time she knew Fred," Hermione suggested softly but he shook his head.

"If George tells, then you can. She'll know the lot or nothing at all."

"What does this have to do with George? You shagging him at the same time?" Ginny asked bitingly and Hermione blushed.

"I love you Gin, but if one more rumor spreads about me and it's your doing, I'll never speak to you again," Hermione fired back, which put the younger girl in her place, "If you can find George, I'll tell you about the nightmares," she conceded.

"Deal," Ginny said smugly, wasting no time in prancing out of the common room to find her older brother and finally solve the mystery of Hermione's nightmares. Fred and Hermione, however, were thankful for the short reprieve from the nosiest Weasley and he placed a careful arm around his girlfriend.

"I wish I could touch you like I wanted to," he sighed as he leaned his forehead against hers and then planted a light kiss there. He treasured these small moments where he could be sweet to Hermione, where he didn't have to constantly have to be the joker.

"I promise I am trying," she looked up at him and leaned forward to lightly graze her lips against his before pulling away.

"Even though he is a greasy bastard, I think Snape is right. Maybe you should stop the potions and work on trying to face the past. I want you to move on Hermione, and I want to be able to make you smile all the time. I just know you are so incredibly sad and it hurts that there is nothing I can do," Fred admitted, his left hand buried in her curls and he pushed her gently towards his, capturing her mouth again. The kiss deepened quickly and soon Hermione had properly crawled onto Fred's lap.

"Fucking disgusting," George laughed behind them and it was almost as if a stunning spell hit Hermione for how fast she jumped off of Fred and towards the other side of the loveseat, blushing. Standing in front of them was Ginny (who was pulling a sarcastic kissy face) and George, chuckling to himself.

"Sorry, did I interrupt something? _Don't care_. Now talk," Ginny bossed them, picking the conversation right back up.

Hermione gave an apologetic look to George who immediately realized what was about to happen.

_NO_ he mouthed to Hermione but her eyes pleaded with him. Fred gave his twin an encouraging nod and he sat down in the empty space between him and Hermione on the loveseat, squishing the three together as Ginny looked on impatiently.

"Gin, what we are going to tell you does not leave this room, nor does it go to Harry, nor Ron, nor your Mum and Dad until any of us are ready. Understood?" Hermione asked, pulling out her wand to put a localized silencing bubble around them, just to be on the safe side if anyone walked in. Ginny nodded.

"Remember when I went to visit _K_..," Hermione stumbled over the beginning of his name and George reached over to give her hand an encouraging squeeze, "K..rum this summer?"

"Yeah…"

"It turned out he really didn't want to see me to date or anything. He only really wanted one thing. He forced himself on me and I kept it a secret from everyone but George. I have nightmares about it often…" Hermione couldn't look at her younger friend as she spoke, but during the short retelling, Ginny crossed the few paces of space between them and collapsed onto her knees in front of Hermione, her eyes pained.

"I am so, so sorry. I want to _murder_ him.."

"Trust us, we do as well," Fred chimed in angrily, seething at being vividly reminded of Krum's unwelcome hands on Hermione's body.

"So, I thought I would help her and she could help me at the same time by being my girlfriend…" George picked up where she left off, giving his best friend a moment to relax, "You see Gin, I'm gay. I've been okay with it for a while now…and I'm dating Oliver Wood, you remember him right? But I didn't want people to ask questions, so Hermione was my cover. It didn't hurt that it made Fred jealous cuz she had a crush on him over summer holidays…"

"_I KNEW IT_!" Ginny giggled, more at the crush than George being gay, but she reached out and touched her brother's hand, "George I won't tell. And I don't care."

"George came out to me a few weeks ago, told me everything, and now Hermione and I are properly together. Although, to the rest of the school it looks a bit odd…but I don't give a damn," Fred ended, "And not a peep to anyone missy," he reminded.

"Hermione you shouldn't have had to weather that alone. Harry and Ron could have helped…and Dad…he could have made Krum's life miserable…"

"I know Gin, but I was scared, and you know I'm not the type of girl to make a fuss about anything. Everyone has their own problems. I know it was a mistake to keep quiet now, but I want to heal and that's all that matters," Hermione said softly and Ginny gave a firm nod, promising them all to keep everything a secret until if and when any of them were ready.

"Sorry I pushed you 'Mione, if I would have known, I wouldn't have made such a big deal about the nightmares," Ginny apologized, her face flushing until her freckles were no longer visible.

"No harm done, you didn't know. Now, could you two leave me and Fred alone for a bit? We hardly get to spend much time in peace without Lavender or someone calling me a slag," Hermione asked.

"Done, see you later lovebirds," George winked at them, and was soon off to the kitchens with Ginny to spoil their appetites before dinner.

**~o0o~**

The weeks leading up to the Christmas holidays went by quickly, and soon, Hermione was comfortable enough to walk around the castle in between classes holding Fred's hand and even snogging a bit out near the lake on the rare day it wasn't snowing. The entire castle was eagerly anticipating break, and on the morning that they were all leaving, Hermione sat quietly at the Gryffindor table, barely eating.

"Something the matter?" George leaned over the table from across from her but she shook her head.

"'Mione, you aren't looking forward to seeing everybody?" Ron asked with his mouth half-full of egg and even though she grimaced, she made excused for merely being tired. Fred, who had picked up the habit of eating every meal next to her with his hand resting gently on her thigh to comfort her and get her used to a more intimate touch, glanced worriedly at her drawn expression. But none of the Weasleys or Harry had time to think much more as they were soon on their journey back to London and to 12 Grimmauld place.

It was nearly dark when the gaggle of teenagers was being let into the old, hidden Order Headquarters, and they were being pushed and pulled in all directions by Mrs. Weasley, who was threatening to not feed them if they didn't get settled upstairs. Harry was beside himself with curiosity when he got a peek of his Godfather and Remus Lupin in the kitchen, but the door was quickly closed again to protect the secrets of the meeting.

"Extendable ears!" George suggested after everyone had put their things away in their rooms upstairs, and he grabbed for a flesh-coloured device in his bag that had a life-sized human-looking each attached to it and tried to lower it down to outside the kitchen door. Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and Harry gathered round, trying to listen to the voices coming out from the door, but George quickly pulled it back up when his mother came out of the door, yelling that it was supper time.

In the midst of the chaos that ensued, what with order members leaving for the meeting and half of them running downstairs for much anticipated food, Fred popped quickly into Hermione and Ginny's temporary bedroom and almost immediately found what he was looking for. He had seen her pull a small letter in and out of her pocket all day-read it-then fold it back up and put it away. With a quick spell, he made an exact copy of it before pausing to scan his eyes over it. What he read nearly made him ill, but he shoved it into his pocket and rushed down the creaky steps of the old house so as not to be missed.

**A/N: Uh oh, what do you think is in the letter? I would love a review, so drop one by! Thanks!**


	12. For Family

**A/N: Thanks for the love and feedback! I appreciate you all!**

"Ah, the honorary Marauders. What are you doing up? Your mother would kill you!" Sirius laughed, that loud and infectious bark-like laugh that was so distinctly his. It made George sadden, knowing that his expression would change within moments. Fred could hardly speak.

Remus picked up on their somberness instantly, whereas his best friend hadn't, and watched as Fred folded and unfolded a little piece of paper in his hands in a rhythm he wasn't aware of.

"We wanted to talk to you both. Privately," Fred finally spoke and Sirius motioned for the two tall red-heads to take the chairs opposite them in the Grimmauld Place library.

"What's the matter boys?" Remus asked, almost afraid of the answer. The twins were so pale that every freckle on each of their faces seemed amplified, like if someone splattered ink on a piece of parchment.

"It's about Hermione…"

"She'll kill us for telling you…"

"But I think we need to," Fred finished, glancing at his twin nervously before unfolding the letter and handing it to Sirius. The older man bent over, reading it raptly a few times over. Each time his eyes began again at the top of the parchment, his frown deepened. When he was finally satisfied, he looked up at the two Weasley's with a murderous look in his eyes, not unlike the one in the frightening Prophet photo of him in Azkaban.

"Why is Viktor Krum threatening to hurt her if she does not come to see him this holiday?" Sirius asked through gritted teeth. Remus was on the edge of his seat, clearly desperate to know what was in the letter.

"Are they seeing each other, are they a couple?" their Defense teacher asked, trying to put the pieces together. He felt fiercely protective over Hermione, like a father to her, as did Sirius, and he was eager to get to the bottom of this.

"Not at all. Never," Fred said quickly and with anger, "Hermione's my girlfriend now, and I hope that doesn't change. She has been off all day, and I found this letter in her room. He'll hurt her. And I am afraid if she doesn't go, he will come here."

"There is something missing here, why would he hurt Hermione?" Remus pressed the issue, bringing up the fact that the two twins didn't want to jump to saying. By saying it, they were giving away Hermione's secret. They were breaching her trust.

"During the summer holidays, just a few months ago, Hermione went to visit Krum…" Fred started. It brought emotions bubbling up to the surface for him almost instantly, and he could no longer speak. He hardly got emotional about anything except his family, and he was falling in love with Hermione. He considered her family as well, and it hurt him to know that when he was looking forward to waking up every morning during summer at the Burrow to see her smile, she was thinking of someone else. Someone else that had hurt her so badly.

"Remus, Sirius," George started with a deep breath, knowing his brother couldn't continue, "She was raped by him. She hasn't been the same since. She's been having night terrors, requesting special potions from Snape, and is so afraid of being touched even in a friendly way by her friends. A hug is hard to give her. I thought he was gone and out of her life. But no…"

Sirius and Remus didn't speak for a long time. Sirius ran his hand over his face, keeping it there, breathing in and out deeply to calm himself. Remus sat back in his chair for a moment, his eyes glazed over, concern etched in every pre-mature line on his face. It was a horrible, heart-breaking moment for all four men in the room.

"Was she…" Remus closed her eyes, it didn't matter either way, but it was more of a reason to kill the boy behind this mess, "pure? When it happened?"

Fred nodded sadly.

"I'll kill him, I'll bloody kill him. No one does that to our Hermione and lives to get away with it. They can throw me back in Azkaban, I don't care! I'll do it!" Sirius shot up from his chair, nearly yelling his declaration, with a scary growl very apparent in his voice. He was seeing red. Fred felt so much love and admiration for the man before him. It was exactly how he felt.

"Sirius, please, you'll wake the whole house," Remus said, gently, but his expression was still cold. He stood up as well, pacing, thinking quickly, "We have to go. We have to get to him first…"

"As much as I agree, what about the Order? What if someone finds out? There is a war about to break loose. We can't just kill a very important person like that…" George seemed worried about the logistics. He didn't want Hermione finding out, and he certainly didn't want either of the two men before him to wind up dead or in prison.

"He's not a very bright man is he? Just an arrogant, wealthy brute who thinks he can mistreat a girl to get what he wants. No, George, we can't kill him. But it doesn't mean we aren't going," Sirius said resolutely, "And it has to be now, before anyone knows…"

Remus was looking at his best friend, this man who had been out of his life for 12 years, with serious concern, "We can't just take them…we can't even go. He may not be alone. After all, let us not forget that his Headmaster consorts with Death Eaters. We could be outnumbered…"

"And what do you suppose is the alternative Remus? Hermione goes alone to spare us any pain? You know she won't tell anyone. I am sure she is afraid!"

"We could have lost her once," George reminded everyone, "I don't want to lose my best friend again."

"We can't go alone…" Remus continued.

"Well we can't bring every bloody Auror with us now can we?" Sirius snapped but quickly conceded, knowing that Remus had a point, "Wake Dora, tell her for the love of Merlin to try and be quiet as she gets ready and we will be off. She's a woman and she'll understand that this has to be a secret. Boys," he turned his attention back to Fred and George, "Get your wands, dress warmly, we are going to Bulgaria."

**~o0o~**

"_Stop…no….please, not again….I came to you…wasn't that enough_?" Hermione murmured throughout her terrible dream in the middle of the night, and it was enough to wake Ginny, who was sleeping in the bed besides her in their room. Ginny rubbed the sleep away from her eyes and when she grasped the meaning behind Hermione's words and her tossing and turning, was next to her friend in a second, trying to wake her up.

"It's just a dream Hermione, I promise, come on girl, wake up," Ginny said, frightened. It seemed to be worse than before and she wondered if she had given up on the potions to help her sleep.

Finally, Hermione was roused, but her whole body was covered in an uncomfortable, cold sweat. She blindly reached for her wand on the besides table and rid herself of the stickiness before turning to the flash of red-hair in the dark bedroom.

"I want Fred, Ginny. Can you get him?" Hermione asked, almost in a panic. The girl jumped off the bed, jammed her feet into her slippers, and stealthily crept out of the room to the one right next to it, opening the door quickly.

She saw the messy mop of Harry's head and then Ron's, but those were only half of the room's residents.

"Whas 'a matter…" Ron asked, poking his head up groggily, he had always been a light sleeper and soon Harry was awake as well, blushing a bit at Ginny in her very short pyjama shorts.

"Where's Fred?" Ginny asked, looking around. Harry swiveled his head around the room but their beds were empty, the covers and sheets a wrinkled mess. The clock read three thirty in the morning.

"Oh no…" Hermione's voice shocked all of them when she entered the room. She was clutching the letter from Krum, a tear streaking down her face. She didn't want to let Harry and Ron know her secret, but she knew that Fred must have found the letter, and that he and George must have gone to pay Krum a visit.

**~o0o~**

Nymphadora Tonks took a deep breath and knocked on the front door of the Krum residence in Bulgaria. Sirius, Remus, and the Twins stood behind her, off to the side, shivering even in their heavy jackets. When Remus had quickly explained what happened to Hermione, Tonks had been livid to say the least. She had changed without ceremony in front of Remus, causing the man to blush, grabbed her wand, and gathered the boys to apparate right outside of the hidden Order headquarters before anyone noticed they were missing.

It took a while and a few more knocks, but a surprised looking Viktor Krum answered the door. If it were even possible, he had grown more and his eyes were dark and his brow furrowed. He had been expecting a much different girl, one without pink hair.

"Who are you?" he asked gruffly and she had to resist the urge to hex him.

"Doesn't matter," she shocked him by grabbing him roughly by the arm. For such a slight woman, she was athletic and strong, and with the help of the boys coming to her aid, they had him dragged inside the house. It was cavernous, in mostly dark colors, with lots of dead animal heads adorning anything and everything. It made Fred and George sick to know that Hermione had been abused here.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Krum shouted and tried to break free from her but she was quick to twist his arm in a very painful position; the emptiness and lack of response proved to the group that his parents were away, most likely on purpose if he was hoping Hermione would show up. Sirius took pleasure in silencing him with a quick spell and they pushed him onto the first, overly-stuffed, leather couch they saw, surrounding them in a half-circle.

"We are going to make this extremely simple for you…" Tonks started, eyeing the boy that had hurt Hermione. She didn't know what she would have done if she had ever been raped, let alone her virginity taken in such a cold, careless way by someone she thought was a friend, and possibly more.

"You never contact, touch, speak to, speak about, or even THINK about Hermione again and I won't kill you. And I know you know who I am Krum…and I know you know I would do it. In a heartbeat. If you give me any reason to," Sirius threatened him at wandpoint and the normally imposing boy was now all wide-eyes and fear, trying to call for help but he couldn't.

"You had no right to hurt her like that. She did nothing to you. She has had to live with the worst fear, and guilt, and sadness because of you," George glared at him.

"She's my beautiful, wonderful girlfriend and I am tired of the pain you caused her consuming her thoughts and preventing her from being happy. Stay the bloody hell away from her Krum," Fred said, throwing a body-bind jinx at him so that he was further immobilized.

Sirius threatened Krum more until he was scared beyond belief, but the five of them knew there was not much else they could do without bringing scrutiny down upon them. Remus modified the boys' memory of the night, but didn't change it any further. They were sure he wouldn't talk, and they wanted him to live with his guilt for the rest of his life if possible.

Although Remus had to restrain Fred and Sirius from doing anything more to Krum, they made their way back out of the house, careful to make it seem like they had never entered it. Who they found, standing outside on the icy ground with tears streaming down her face, shocked them all.

"You had _no right_," she cried, "No right to tell them. This is my battle Fred. You promised me, you_ both_ promised me that you would keep this a secret."

Fred didn't know what to do but his brother pushed him forward and he moved to hug his girlfriend but she pushed him away, turning her back to him, "Don't even get near me Fred Weasley!"

"They were concerned about your safety…" Remus interjected and she whipped back around, not caring that she was yelling at a professor, "My safety? When all of us, and mostly Harry, are in grave danger? What does it matter in the grand scheme of things? Your father almost died!" her voice cracked again into a sob when she looked at the twins, "And you are risking your life even standing here right now Sirius!"

"I don't care. I'd do it over again," the animagus said, "It doesn't matter if this is not some grand battle against Death Eaters Hermione. Luckily it didn't turn out that way, but who knows what you would have faced had you come here alone. What happened to you is nothing trivial."

"_I_ made the mistake. _I_ trusted him. _I_ bear it alone," Hermione said, trying to be strong. She saw the heartbreaking, older-sister-look, coming from Tonks and it made her tears fall more rapidly. She was in all honesty, embarrassed. Everyone standing before her knew what had happened, was privy to the way that she had lost the most important part of herself. Although she was thankful they loved her, she was used to dealing with things alone.

"You have gone through more in your life than most people Hermione, it's okay to ask for help," Tonks reminded her, but she wasn't having it. She glared fiercely and Fred and George, unsure who she was more mad with, turned on the spot, and disapparated.

**A/N: Sorry its short, I know, but that seems to just be the way I want this story to break into parts!**


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